Postby Kathryn-in-Canada » Sun Dec 31, 2023 8:59 am
I don't have much time for a soliloquy but I was interested that when I went looking for an S word to go in today's title I was drawn to
Stormy, squall, scary, struggling, and a whole slew of negative words.
Which would have already set off warning bells if I wasn't already well aware that I'm swamped these days with negative emotions.
Yesterday, I had hoped to quickly finish off the service for today but instead it took hours. In the middle of that, dd came over with the kids to be with dh on his birthday and he was as patient as he could be. (BTW, Lucylee and LadyM, dgs now has an audible tick, but the hair chewing seems to have disappeared.)
And then, just as I was turning off the computer to go to bed (at 10:30, not too bad a time), I checked email and discovered 6 emails relating to today's service and all mean changes to the flow of the service. I'm hand writing those in and intend to be at church really early to get the changes into the heads of the AV guys. I'm flexible (and two of the emails were to assure the person backing out on me, that I hadn't expected their help at all.)
All this meant I had a rough night's sleep of worry. I've been up for 90 minutes now and need to head into the shower and then eat something other than Christmas cookies.
Anyway, I'm terribly nervous about today's service. Partly because I'm using the sermon to inform the congregation that there will be consultations with them this year as worship changes are made and we hire a new church musician. And then I went out of my wheelhouse (being on the worship and personnel committees the first bit I could announce) and said that all committees have been asked to send in their calendars for the year (true) so that communication and coordination can be improved. For instance, I assumed there was no Sunday School today and thus I had to be prepared for kids not leaving the sanctuary (I am.) But apparently the Sunday School staff weren't sure I knew that and thus were trying to cover things off until they came down with Covid and let me know late on Saturday that no adult would be there to take the kids.
After service we come home and pack, then drive 3 hours to visit dd's godparents for New Year's Eve (our tradition which I agreed to do despite having so much on this week including this big service that may be a complete flop.)
Anyway, I appear to be riding the wave of my 2023 theme of being overwhelmed into 2024. I can't see any block of time in the first 3 weeks of January to just breathe and rest and recover. A day here or there (when I should be doing all the things I am not doing because I'm so busy) but no chance to sit and plan anything beyond crises management.
Here ends my soliloquy. Stay tuned in 2024 to see if I will rise like a phoenix or simply crash and burn.